MEMS mirror arrays and external lens system in an optical switch

• US 6,603,894 B1
• Filed: 01/26/2001
• Issued: 08/05/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rembrandt Communications LP (Rembrandt IP Management, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Tellium, Inc. (DZS, Inc.)
• Inventors: Pu, Chuan
• Primary Examiner(s): Sanghavi, Hemang
• Assistant Examiner(s): Knauss, Scott A
• Application Number:
  US09/769,481
• Time in Patent Office: 921 Days
• Field of Search: 385/16-23, 385/31, 359/290, 359/291, 359/292
• US Class Current: 385/18
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/352 the reflective optical element having a shaped reflective surface, e.g. a reflective element comprising several reflective surfaces or facets that function together
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3556 NxM switch, i.e. regular arrays of switches elements of matrix type constellation
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/356 in an optical cross-connect device, e.g. routing and switching aspects of interconnecting different paths propagating different wavelengths to (re)configure the various input and output links switching polarized beams G02B6/3594; power equalizers G02B6/356 and G02B6/3594; path selecting means H04Q11/0001
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/357 Electrostatic force electrostatic forces controlling reflecting elements in general G02B26/0841
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3582 Housing means or package or arranging details of the switching elements, e.g. for thermal isolation
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3584 constructional details of an associated actuator having a MEMS construction, i.e. constructed using semiconductor technology such as etching MEMS per se B81B, B81C
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0005 Switch and router aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/0024 using space switching
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/003 using switches based on microelectro-mechanical systems [MEMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/0039 Electrical control

Abstract

An optical network element using arrays of mirrors in an optical switch. A lens system is placed in between the mirror arrays and optical signals are passed through the lens system in an off-axis manner in order to increase switching capacity so that larger arrays of mirrors can be used, shorten the optical path through the switch or a combination of both.

Claims

1. An optical switch comprising:

a lens system having a first side and a second side, wherein the lens system has a finite focal length;

a first mirror array positioned on the first side of the lens system;

a second mirror array positioned on the second side of the lens system along a focal plane of the lens system and substantially perpendicular to an optical axis of the lens system; and

a third mirror array positioned on the first side of the lens,

wherein the first and third mirror arrays are positioned off the axis.

2. The optical switch according to claim 1, wherein the optical inputs aligned with the first mirror array are positioned on the first side of the lens system and optical outputs aligned with the third mirror array are also positioned on the first side of the lens system.